Goku Is Anime's Most Iconic Hero Ever, But Dragon Ball Daima Is The First Time He's Been A Real Hero?

Goku is arguably the most iconic hero in anime history, capturing the hearts of fans and inspiring generations of manga and anime creators, all while protecting the Earth from any villainous powers that threaten it. In his endless quest to face stronger foes and become the strongest warrior himself, he's picked up a habit of turning some of the most wicked fighters in the universe into friends and allies. Despite all of that, however, Dragon Ball Daima marks the first time he's ever truly been a hero.

Goku is a simple character, concerned mostly with finding time to train or spar, eating good food, and fighting stronger and stronger opponents. He isn't an entirely thoughtless person, also caring deeply for the people in his life, as seen during his initial Super Saiyan transformation or his thunderous comeback against Jiren. He wants the best for his friends and family, even if he doesn't always go about it the right way, like giving a Senzu Bean to his son's enemy in order to teach him to have confidence in his abilities.

More often than not, though, Goku's reason for fighting is a bit more selfish than a desire to protect his home planet. When the opportunity for a good fight presents itself, he's going to take it, even if it means endangering himself or others. But as early as Dragon Ball Daima's fourth episode, the combat-crazed Saiyan acts largely out of character, and rushes into battle not for his own self-interest, but to rescue those in need.

Goku Has His Own Selfish Reasons to Fight

Saiyan Genes Are Responsible For Goku's Need to Fight

Goku's seemingly insatiable hunger for battle was finally explained during Dragon Ball's Saiyan Saga, with the reveal of his heritage and long-lost brother, Raditz. What initially amounted to nothing more than a quirk of the series' protagonist during his childhood, was rewritten to be a side effect of his Saiyan genes. Though Dragon Ball Minus, a short bonus manga included in 2013's Jaco the Galactic Patrolman, retconned a large portion of Goku's origin story, the important bits remained; the young Saiyan child arrived on Earth and hit his head, causing much of his evil Saiyan aggression to disappear.

Goku's innate desire to fight remained, however, and acts as the force that drives Dragon Ball's story forward. Despite his usual reasons for fighting being largely selfish, he does have an understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and will typically act upon it. However, if a challenger is strong enough, he won't hesitate to put the Earth in danger for a chance to fight them, as seen in his initial decision to spare Vegeta early in the series.

The final scene of Dragon Ball Super: Broly is one of the better moments in the series to depict just who Goku is as a character. He tracks Broly, Cheelai, and Lemo down to the inhospitable planet Vampa, and offers shelter and supplies in order to keep them safe and healthy. When Cheelai responds by saying they don't intend to befriend him, Goku claims that he doesn't really care, before getting a wild look in his eye, and requesting to be able to swing by and occasionally fight with Broly. Goku does a good deed but for a selfish reason.

Goku Fights For the Sake of Others Early On in Daima

Goku Rushes Into Battle When Others Are In Need

Dragon Ball Daima hasn't been shy about taking the opportunity to rewrite series lore, including the origin of Namekians and the Dragon Balls themselves, and seems to now be tinkering with Goku's characterization in its fourth episode, titled, "Chatty". When Goku, Glorio, and Supreme Kai stumble upon a poor village, the wickedness of the Demon Realm's new ruler, Gomah, becomes apparent, as members of his newly formed military are imposing unreasonably high taxes on the Demon residents.

In a cartoonishly evil turn of events, if the residents are not able to pay, entire years will be stolen from their life expectancies as compensation. Upon seeing this, Goku cannot hold himself back, and rushes into one of the most impressively animated battles in all of Dragon Ball. Following the fight, which resulted in the now adorable mini-Saiyan taking out countless soldiers, he claims that he couldn't just sit back and watch what was happening.

This line of thinking from the series' protagonist is relatively new, as the fight offered no opponent who could rival Goku in strength. Rather, in a rare instance of true heroism, the unjust treatment of others spurred him into action. Many fans of the series believe this to be nothing new for Goku, as both the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z anime adaptations included countless moments that painted him in a heroic light. However, these series often took liberties with Goku that author Akira Toriyama never intended.

Dragon Ball's Original Anime Adaptations Missed the Mark

Goku Was Never the Righteous Hero

In a 1997 interview with WIRED Japan, the legendary Akira Toriyama sat down and shared his thoughts on Dragon Ball and manga in general. When asked about the anime adaptation of Dragon Ball Z, he shared that he's "always been dissatisfied with the righteous hero-type portrayal they gave (Goku)," and maintained that he fights for the sake of fighting other strong warriors, rather than for others. This need to constantly become stronger and improve was described by Toriyama as a "poison" in Goku's character, which would always prevent him from being a true hero.

However, Toriyama's stance on Goku's "poison" may very well have shifted over the years, seeing as he was directly involved in the creation of Dragon Ball Daima. While Goku's uncertain moral compass has undoubtedly made him unique as a protagonist, portraying the Earth-bred Saiyan as more of a traditional hero does allow him to fit in among his more modern shōnen counterparts. Whether that is a positive or negative for the franchise remains to be seen.

As Dragon Ball Daima pushes its main trio along their grand adventure in the masterfully written Demon Realm, more powerful and sinister threats will surely make themselves known, and whether Goku has truly become a traditional hero will be revealed. Until then, the series is off to a very strong start, and is expected to continue building upon Dragon Ball's wondrous world in upcoming episodes.

Dragon Ball DAIMA is the fifth overall series in the action-adventure anime franchise. It features most of the classic cast members as de-aged versions of themselves, including Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma. The series was announced at NYCC 2023, with creator Akira Toriyama returning to handle DAIMA's run.

Seasons 1

Writers Akira Toriyama